There are very few reasons I’d journey to the heart of Times Square—even fewer before I’ve had my morning coffee—but Olive Young’s official Sephora debut is too buzzy to ignore. After all, when the leading Korean retailer opened its first U.S. flagship store in Pasadena, the line stretched about a quarter-mile long. Some shoppers even camped out overnight to ensure they got their hands on their favorite K-beauty items! I expect similar pandemonium this week as 19 Olive Young-curated Korean beauty brands launch in more than 500 Sephoras nationwide, so when I got the chance to preview the dedicated K-beauty space at the Times Square flagship, needless to say I jumped at the opportunity.
Off I went, bright and early, to browse the assortment before it officially opens to the public. Not a bad start to my Thursday! Since I expect nothing less than a frenzy—both physically in the stores and online in the form of rapid sellouts—I’m sharing the K-beauty products worth snagging first. The savviest beauty enthusiasts approach major shopping events with a plan, right? These are the authentic items you can’t find on other beauty retailers (well, aside from Olive Young itself and the occasional Amazon third-party seller), so I’d go ahead and secure them before they fly off the shelves.
The Most Worth-It Items From Olive Young’s Sephora Collection
No lie, this rich night cream makes your skin feel like cashmere. The texture is quite dense, but it sinks in effortlessly and never makes me break out. My husband (who has very oily skin) is also obsessed and specifically requested I snag one for him at the store. Needless to say, I went home with two jars.
I’m running low on my beloved Manyo Cleansing Oil (good thing it’s also part of the exclusive Olive Young collection!), but I’m game to try something new. Emma Jeong, a Seoul-based communications specialist at Olive Young, told me this beplain foaming number makes a wonderful first cleansing step. She has some of the glowiest skin I’ve ever seen, so I take her word as gospel. Sold.
A newer addition to the Bioheal brand, these cooling, firming eye patches plump the skin with peptides, PDRN, and collagen. Rena Kim, Olive Young’s senior manager of communications, tells me they’re already sold out in Olive Young’s California location, so I don’t expect them to stay in stock for long.
This calming gel serum is A+ for reducing redness, but what’s really cool is that it’s specifically formulated to work alongside manual massage and devices. You know when your serum or mist dries up within seconds of floating a skincare tool across your face? This ampoule has a glide that never wanes.
Speaking of tools, this professional-grade, dual-frequency ultrasound device is the one to get if you’re focused on skin-firming. In fact, a clinical study showed that it improves skin elasticity by 122.9 percent. It comes with three different modes (Focus, Inner, Tension) at adjustable strengths, but regardless it targets deeper skin layers to improve hydration, resilience, and radiance.
Like Olive Young stores, this Sephora was equipped with a sheet mask wall. Choosing just one feels near impossible, but I was especially intrigued by this serum-drenched formula, which calls upon vitamins A, C, and E, flax seed, and French hyssop to fade dark spots (my main gripe) and even skin tone.
Okay, when I saw this frothy matcha latte-inspired toner sitting on the shelf, I legitimately thought it looked good enough to drink. Or maybe I was just desperately craving caffeine. Regardless, the niacinamide-, tranexamic acid-, and ceramide milk-infused formula is as effective as it is fun, brightening and hydrating the skin with powerful antioxidants. And yes, it actually contains ceremonial-grade matcha from Japan and Jeju Island.
This Arencia number is one of the most popular cleansers in Korea, the Olive Young team tell me, so it makes sense that it would have a flashy display in Sephora. I mean, just look at how whipped and creamy the texture looks in the photo below.
No, Rejuran isn’t exactly an underrated K-beauty brand, but I’d be remiss not to call out its most popular serum here. If targeting skin aging concerns (sagging, fine lines) is your primary objective, you’d be wise to include it in your lineup.
